UPNL staff go on 3-day strike

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 27

Employees of Uttarakhand Purva Sainik Kalyan Nigam Limited (UPNL) started a three-day statewide strike in various government departments here today. The protesters are demanding regularisation of their service and a hike in salary.

The employees under the aegis of the UPNL Karamchari Mahasangh gathered at the Raipur bus stand and raised slogans against the Congress-led state government. They said former Soldiers’ Welfare Minister HS Rawat had assured the Mahasangh members that their demands would be fulfilled but nothing had been done to address their grievances. They were given false assurances about filling their year-long pending demands, the protesters lamented.

Services were badly affected in various government departments, including Peyjal Nigam, Jal Sansthan, Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited, Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited, Education Department, Health Department and Public Works Department, as nearly 18,000 members went on a strike against the state government.

Bhawesh Jagudi, president of UPNL Karamchari Mahasangh, said they had decided to intensify the protest in order to build pressure on the state government. The employees would hold a demonstration at the secretariat and the Chief Minister’s residence in support of their demands soon.

The government had not taken any steps to address their grievances, even though more than two years had passed since they had submitted their memorandum to government officials, he added.

Deepak Chauhan, district president, UPNL Karamchari Mahasangh, said the sangh members had protested many times but they were only given false assurances. The government should take steps to reinstate the sacked employees soon. The agitation would be intensified if the state government did not accede to their demands, Chauhan added.